


Nacre

by QueenPotatos



Category: Free!
Genre: Fluffy, M/M, collection of drabble, prompts I got on tumblr, soft
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-01
Updated: 2018-02-04
Packaged: 2019-03-12 10:14:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13545237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenPotatos/pseuds/QueenPotatos
Summary: Compilations of drabbles and prompts I got on tumblr. Feel free to send me more :)





	1. The Kiss

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to post something for Rin's birthday but couldn't find the time to write anything unfortunately. But I have some prompts I never posted here on my tumblr so here we go. HAPPY BIRTHDAY RIN Love of my life Moon of my stars, I'll love you until the end of time.

**The Kiss - 16/12/17**

 

It happened in a blurr, just like the race they both won. After touching the walls at the exact same time Rin got him out of the water and hold him tight against his chest, his tears running down his cheeks to Haru’s shoulders. It felt like a dream for a couple of minutes, and Rin must have felt the same way too; because otherwise he would have never dared to do what he did.

Rin kissed him in front of the whole world, in front of the reporters, the television of 146 countries, the 20,000 spectators who came to see the races.

Haru still can’t believe it happened, the day after and then the next one, simply because Rin left a couple of minutes after that and refused to talk to him again, as if he was running away. Haru hadn’t been better though, he has to admit. Unable to characterize exactly what it meant to him, Haru hadn’t reply to the kiss, nor let any feeling out other than surprise. What had gotten Rin?

“Are you and Matsuoka together?”

Haru is used of this inquiry, but it kind of sets the alarm when his manager asks him as if it was something wrong. He answers by the negative and life goes back to its normal pace; mackerel breakfast, Yamanote Line, training, snack with Makoto, training, the Yamanote Line again to come back home and skype with Ri-

Rin refuses to answer his call again, and has done so for a week now, ever since he kissed him he had never talked to him again. At first it hadn’t bother Haru much, but it has been a whole week and now it aches. Only when he faces his computer screen for a whole hour without doing anything else Haru realizes something important, more than anything else; he misses Rin. He misses his voice, he missed his laughs, misses the way he challenges him and provokes him. This week has been a real waste in the water; without realizing he has lost the good sensations he had felt during the World Championship and his coach hadn’t say anything yet, but his times were slowly dropping days after days.

He has lost his connexion to the water.

Tired of watching Rin’s skype page refusing his call once more, Haru decides he can’t stay inactive any longer, he needs to have a conversation and if Rin uses his right to remain silent, the pool will talk for him.

Using his badge he sneaks into the pool at night when no one is around and jumps in. He floats for a while, aimless, waiting for a revelation of any sort but nothing happens. The water is calm and barely smooths anything out of his frustration. It does not make his skin trembling with excitation like it used to, when Rin is there. When Rin was there.

Suddenly Haru stops and stands in the middle of the pool. He holds some of the pool’s water in the palm of his hand and watches it flow down to the pool.

“It’s not enough.” He murmurs. “It’s too tamed.”

He has already pronounced these words in the past, but with everything that had happened since his last year of high school they hold a very different meaning. He had always liked his water turbulent and challenging, taking him out of his comfort zone to drive him elsewhere, anywhere, throughout the world.

“ _Nanase, if you swim with me…”_

The image of Rin, young and bolt and sauvage, comes to his mind, followed by countless of images and memories of Rin, of his smile his energy his words all he did for him, the races they have swum and won together, and the emptiness he left behind everytime he flew away. He remembers the warmth of his lips against his, remembers now how something had burst in his chest and prevented him to move or speak. Rin has always been a tornado, coming unexpected, strong and indomitable, leaving him being with his whole world upside down.

“...I’ll show you a sight you’ve never seen before.” Haru finishes Rin’s precious words as tears fall on his face and join the water in the poll. Haru cries; he wants to see it again, to see him again so much. There are feelings only Rin make bloom in his heart, and Haru has been a fool to think they were asset. He has been a fool to think they didn’t mean there was something more to it.

It happens in a blur, Haru doesn’t remember much of his travel but in the afternoon the next day, he is knocking at their door.

“Oh my god, Haru!”

Winnie runs to him and brushes past his legs while Lori urges him to come inside and offers him a drink. As he expected, Rin is not here.

“How are you doing? It’s been so long!” Lori is an angel, making sure Haru feels at home and comfortable; he notices how she speaks slower to make sure he understands all she says - thanks to Rin Haru had made lot of progress in English.

Again, it’s something he achieved thanks to Rin, because he pushed and supported him to do so.

“Where is Rin?” he finally asks, the question burning his lips. He expects Rin to come back from the front door at any time, with his smile and his nonchalance as if nothing had happened a week ago, and the thought is enough to make his heart races. Haru can’t believe he hadn’t realized sooner how Rin makes him feel. How did he stay in the dark for so long when it had always been so obvious?

Lori promises to call Rin without telling him Haru was there. That was Haru’s only condition - he told her it was supposed to be a surprise, and she only smiled. He wonders now if she had seen them kissing on TV. She must have. Rin’s mother must have too. How embarrassing.

“He’s coming, in an hour and a half,” Lori shows him their guest room where Haru puts his things. “And there…is his room, if you want to rest before he arrives. The bathroom is just there but I’m afraid we only have a shower.”

Haru stopped wondering why every person he met connected to Rin knows every detail of his habits a while ago.

When he gets out of the bathroom, his hair still wet from the shower, he checks his mail. There are a least 5 from Makoto, wondering where he has disappeared.

 _‘I’m in Australia._ ’ he replies.

The answer is quick, Makoto must be worried sick.

_‘You could have told me! Or anyone! Though I might have thought you might be there…’_

Haru finds his reply rather mysterious. Why would Haru fly on the whim to Australia? Is he so easy to read? Or does Makoto know something he doesn’t?

Haru isn’t sure he is ready to send the next message, but he does anyway.

_‘How long have you known?’_

He anxiously waits for his reply, not really knowing why he is so nervous about it.

_‘…Promise me you won’t get mad first?’_

The door opens downstair and Haru put his phone back into his pocket, forgetting it for the time being. It’s him. It’s his voice, his steps, his perfect english he’s so jealous of. Haru imagines him with a radiant smile, his hair falling on his face held in his typical short ponytail, a cap on his head and his terrific fashion sense. And yet, ironically now that Rin is so close and reachable he can’t find the strength in his legs to stand up and confront him. His heart race prevents him to think straight. What is he about to say anyway? He needs some distraction, needs to calm his nerve before coming down.

There’s a photo album next to Rin’s bed; there are full of pictures of Lori, Russel and Rin, and some of Rin’s friends from school and the swimming club he used to go. There are, not surprisingly, some of Iwatobi and of his family. Haru knows how difficult his time in Australia had been the first time and yet Rin put a tremendous effort into showing none of it. Rin shines on every pictures. Rin is so strong.

There’s something that tightened in his chest when he thinks of everything Rin had accomplish with only the force of his will, and despite all the trials he had gone through, all the pain he had overcome even at such a young age. Rin is a force of nature, and his unshakable faith in his might and dreams leaves Haru speechless. Who is he next to that man? Why did Rin kiss him? Why does he find in him?

He is too lost in his thoughts to hear the footsteps climbing the stairs. Rin enters his room only to face Haru’s back and stops. He’s certainly the last person he expected to be here.

Haru can feel he hasn’t moved from the doorstep. He keeps looking at the photo album, turning the page silently, waiting for Rin to join him, or do something.

Light, hesitant steps brings Rin close to his bed. “What are you looking at?” His voice his strangled, Haru notices.

“You. I wanted to learn more about your time here.” Haru replies. He turns his head toward Rin, and can’t help but smile when he finally sees his face. “Hello.”

“Haru, what are you doing here?”

Rin just looks as confused and lost as Haru thought he would be. Yet he doesn't want to answer that question too soon. “Sit with me. What is this place?”

Rin sighs, but sits next to Haru nonetheless, just next to him but not too close so their shoulders won’t touch. “The school I used to go. It was not that far from here.”

“Did you have a good time?”

“It was difficult at first when I didn’t know how to speak English. At first you get people’s attention because you’re a foreigner and the next day you stop fascinating them, they let you alone.” Haru fights the urge to hold his hand, or to hug him to comfort him. “But it got better when I was finally able to communicate with them. I made a couple of friends I still have contact with. Actually Lori told me one of my old schoolmate was waiting for me in my room.”

“That’s not a lie.” Haru remarks.

“But I definitely never thought you’d be here, all of the people.”

“Are you angry?”

Haru can’t look at him in the eyes. Somehow he dreads Rin’s words more than anything in the world, even though he knows already what his answer will be. It’s stupid to be scared of rejection when you are the one who had been kissed. He can’t imagine what must be going through Rin’s head at this very moment.

“No, of course not.” Rin says after some time where Haru had forgotten how to breath. “But you could have, you know, warm me.”

“You weren’t answering my calls. So I came.”

“About that, I’m-”

“Is that a Koala?” Haru asks, showing him another picture. He doesn’t want to hear his apologies, or whatever he might say, he already knows. Plus, he kind of likes driving Rin mad, it’s a sweet but fair vengeance for ignoring him for a whole week.

“No that’s a Kangourou! How can you not know that? I showed you one last time you came. Haru you’re a lost cause.”

Haru smiles softly, “I know,” he says, and leans his head on Rin’s shoulder as if it’s his natural space. He feels Rin turn into a block of ice and his breath caught in his throat but he doesn’t care, this is exactly why he crossed the Ocean for - though he would have liked not to feel so hot and his cheeks burning while doing so. Messing up with Rin wasn’t supposed to end with him just as equality messed up.

“And what’s this?” Haru asks again, pointing another picture.

It takes Rin out of his torpor little by little and soon he gets comfortable enough to curl his arm around Haru’s waist, so that they could rest in each other’s embrace more easily. Haru’s entire back leans on Rin’s chest now, their faces so close to touch, if only Rin could lean on his side a bit more…Haru can feel Rin’s hair tickle his skin, he feels pins and needles on the small portion of skin that could be touched by Rin if only he would lean on him more. The sensation drives him nuts, it’s like all of his nerve concentrates on this ridiculously small area and he can’t hear what Rin says anymore.

It feels so good. It feels so good and alive to be so close to Rin that Haru could cry.

The next page is pictures of Rin’s time in Iwatobi. “I didn’t know you kept these.”

“Really? What did you expect from me?”

“I mean, when I was younger I never thought you’d do something like that. Now that I’m older, and that I know you better, it sure makes perfect sense. Still it doesn’t mean I knew you had them. I wish I had done the same.”

“Why?” Rin asks, genuinely surprised. “You’re not the romantic type.”

“I missed you. I missed you terribly.” He says, he waits a bit to see how Rin will react and he guesses, faintly, that his heartbeat gets louder and quicker. “I didn’t realize it until I got older but this pain I constantly felt in my chest, it was the hole you left. When you came back during high school I felt my life had been put on hold, and that with your return it started again at last.”

This had felt obvious the moment Haru got his revelation in the pool the night before but taking it out of his chest is an entire other story. Haru feels lighter than ever, but at the same time he feels a warm strength coming to his muscle, from his back to the top of his fingers and toes. He feels powerful, just as his feelings for Rin.

“Ever since you came back my life had changed, and keeps changing always for the better. I don’t know where I would be without you, you know? I would definitely not be here. I’d be stuck in Iwami, cleaning the streets from dirt, or I’d root in my room, unaware of how awesome the world is.”

“Stop saying nonsense, you would have done amazingly without me,” Rin says, his words muffled. Haru can easily picture him crying, but doesn’t want to turn around to see if he’s right, not yet. He feels Rin's arms holding him tighter, hugging him from being and Rin’s head resting on his shoulder. “I’m the one who wouldn’t be where I stand without you.”

“No, you’re wrong. You’re the one that shines, not me.” Haru replies, perfectly aware that it’s probably just nonsense to Rin.

“You _saved_ me.” Rin insisted. “I would have quid without you, a long time ago.”

“You found me and brought me along with you. You even dragged me here. The man I am today would not exist without you.” Rin shines and shared his light with him.

Rin crushes their bodies together, crying on Haru’s shoulder; his sobs and his strength blurred Haru’s vision.

“You know, I find it so easy to be in love with you but I don’t get why you chose me.” Haru confesses, trying to remain composed as much as he could without letting his emotions overflow. “I don’t get it. I’m nothing special, I was even so difficult with you from the start and yet you…”

He couldn’t finish his sentence, as he feared his emotions reached his eyes too soon. Haru realizes how lucky he is, how grateful he is that Rin is Rin, stubborn, that he always knows what he wants and how to get it, and that he never ever surrenders.

“Stupid, you’re just _so_ stupid.” Rin makes him turn into his embrace so that he can see his face, and cupped his cheeks with his thumbs. “You are nothing but ordinary. You are so much more than what you think you are.”

Rin kisses him again and this time Haru kisses back.

 

The next morning Haru wakes up in Rin’s bed, but the place next to him is empty. It’s already 9 AM, he must have gone running. He climbs down the stair and directly goes to the kitchen. Lori is making pancakes, she is humming a tone Haru doesn’t recognize, probably an Australian hit.

“Morning Haru! Please have a seat.”

Rin comes back at this moment by the front door, sweating. “Oh you’re up.” He walks to him and drops a kiss on his head. “I’ll be back in a minute, can you wait for me to shower before starting breakfast?”

He leaves him with a deep shade of red on his cheek. On the other side of the table Lori watches him with a benevolent smile, and gives him a wink.

 

 


	2. II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The prompt was : RinHaru first night together.

**First Night - ??/10/17**

 

Rin has been planning this night for ages - since he was, in fact, 12 and very much in love with Nanase. So he is rather confident when the afternoon at the pool turns into the evening at Makoto’s place with the twin and then, ends up in Haru’s house where there’s just the two of them and Rin’s bag.

Rin’s bag is rather huge, he knows it; everybody has been mocking him for it but at least he has everything under control. He got two spare underwears, a comfortable pyjama, a very tight white top in case things are looking good, his perfume his hair clips his toothbrush and minty toothpaste and on top of everything : his favorite pillow.

Where he had hidden, before he left the dorms, a couple of condom, just in case, he told himself.

It funny how all his confidence evaporates the moment Rin takes the pillow out of his bag. First question is, where to put it? Right of left? Where does Haru sleep usually? They have been dating for a couple of weeks now but tonight was their first real night and he has no idea of which side of the bed is Haru’s favorite, and he can’t ask him because that moron is, after half an hour, still in the damn bathtub.

From that moment Rin starts to doubt everything. Which pyjamas? The comfortable one or the sexy one? Should he tie his hair or let them down? Is this too soon to hope for a little bit more than a goodnight kiss? Does he even deserve to date Haru?

When Haru comes out of his bathroom it’s only to face Rin having an existential crisis while holding his favorite pillow.

“What’s wrong?” he asks.

“Nothing,” Rin lies, of course.

Haru stands near the entrance as if he was waiting for Rin to do something and Rin can’t guess what. He wishes, sometimes, to have Makoto’s ability to read this stubborn man’s mind, once in awhile.

“You didn’t bring your pyjama?”

“O-of course I did!” Rin stammers; what does he think he has in his huge bag!

“Loosejaw-kun is waiting for you if you need any.”

“I don’t!”

“So why are you still dressed?”

Rin looks away, blushing slightly. “I...I wasn’t sure if I needed any.”

His words colored Haru’s pale cheeks as well. Eventually he joined him and at on his bed.

“So...” Haru scratches the back of his head. “Which side do you usually sleep on?”

“We have single bed at the dorms.”

Haru seems to be puzzled for a second. “Oh...” he says, at loss of what to say.

“And you?” Rin demands.

“I sleep in the middle.”

The night couldn’t be more awkward than that! Rin wants nothing more than to hide his face inside his bag and come back to the dorms, or wake up from this nightmare with Haru in his arms, sleeping peacefully.

“Just chose whatever you feel like, but put something on before going to bed.” Haru tells him, and he disappears once more into the bathroom to put back the towel he got on his hair.

Rin goes for the comfortable pyjamas and waits for Haru, lying on the bed against the wall. When he comes back after a few minutes Haru wears Loosejaw-kun T Shirt, Rin sees, and he turns off the light without warning. He slides under the blanket, gives Rin a goodnight kiss on his forehead and whispers ‘Goodnight Rin’, and, that’s all.

Rin freezes, frustration and sadness rushing to his eyes at the speed of light - but he controls his emotion after he took a deep breath. “Goodnight Haru.” He says, and rolls on his side, his back against Haru’s.

The night has just turn from awkward to just bad. Like, really bad. Rin still feels the couple of condoms under his head, hidden in his pillow. Who was he to think they would go that far during their first night anyway? Has he been too excited? They haven’t even kissed that much !

“Rin,” Haru speaks, he must have feel there was something wrong with him. He always kind of knows when things are happening to him, even if he often doesn’t know exactly why; it doesn’t really matter because each time Haru reaches him anyway.

“Hm?”

“Rin, tell me what’s wrong?”

Haru rolls to face Rin only to meet his back. Rin isn’t sure he can turn around yet. “Nothing.”

“You’re lying.”

“Of course I am.”

“You want to kiss me.”

Rin sighs in exasperation. “Of course I want. Who wouldn’t want to kiss their boyfriend?”

Rin hopes Haru isn’t part of these people.

As if he had heard his thought, Haru reaches Rin again, his hand holding his sides and his lips running on his neck. It makes Rin shivers, and turns around at last. Rin’s hair quickly gets lost in Haru’s wet hair, his mouth finding fresh lips, biting them softly. Haru kisses him back like they have done already in the past, his hand gets on Rin’s torso and his tongue caresses Rin’s lips until they part, breathless but content. When Rin brings Haru closer to him and grasps his hair harsher a hand comes to stop him.

“Rin, can this be enough for now?”

Haru takes his hand and put it on his chest. His heart, Rin notices, is pounding madly against his ribcage.

That’s when Rin realizes it’s their very first night together. The first night sleeping together as a couple, and the first time all of their friends know about that too. Now he can easily imagine, even in the dark, how red Haru’s cheeks are, how his own must be now, and Rin feels so, so stupid. They don’t need to rush. And this, sleeping with the person he loves the most in his arms, is enough for now, and for a lot of more times.

“Ha, it is, really.” Rin says, and he rests his chin on Haru’s head, “It is.” He repeats.

They end up sleeping peacefully in each other’s arms on Rin’s pillow, in the middle of the bed.

* * *

  


In the morning Haru wakes up before Rin, caresses his hair mindlessly until he wakes up.

“...‘ning.” Rin yawns, he kisses Haru’s hand. “Did you sleep well?”

“Ha,” Haru says, “There’s just something a little bit hard on your pillow, I think you might change it. I don’t know what it is but it did bug me during the night. Maybe we should take it out now-”

Rin takes his pillow in his arms and runs to the bathroom, his cheeks crimson red.

 

**Author's Note:**

> i called this collection Nacre cause of pearls. One after one they'll make a good necklace :)


End file.
